Darwinia

What seems, at first glance, like a simple adventure story in Robert Charles Wilson's "Darwinia" is actually anything but simple -- something you will learn as the book leads you deeper and deeper into a complex, rich, and hauntingly beautiful story. "Darwinia" takes place in a world left reeling after Europe was transformed over night into a foreign and unexplored wilderness. The story follows the journey of Guildord Law who explores this new world and learns about the land and so much more.The charecters in the book are vivid and you will come away feeling that you know each of them. It is science fiction at its best, full of surprises and powerfully written. One can't quite say enough about this book!

"Darwinia" establishes Robert Charles Wilson as one of the outstanding writers in contemporary SF. The Europe of 1912 is replaced by a strange, alien wilderness containing previously unknown forms of plants and animals and no sign of civilization. Religious fundamentalism bubbles to the forefront in the wake of the "Miracle" as most people believe that God sweep the old center of Western civilization out of existence because of its iniquity. Some people see inconsistencies in the theological explanation and seek alternate explanations based on science and logic. Guilford Law, the protagonist of the novel, is drawn into the latter camp and ultimately reaches a stunning explanation of the true nature of the "Miracle".Wilson's technical writing skills are excellent. He draws a haunting picture of this strange world that was Europe. Wilson creates appealing characters with depth using a mature and well-crafted writing style. The characters behave rationally in this irrational world. Most importantly, Wilson thoroughly understands contemporary history and creates a series of events in the post-"Miracle" world that are both logical and reasonable. For instance, the obliteration of the British home islands leads Lord Kitchener to set up a rump government operating out of Ottawa that seeks to retain the claims of the British Empire. This is precisely what Kitchener, the hero of Khartoum and victor of the Boer War, would have done. A brief naval war erupts between the US and the British rump government that the Americans easily win. This fits with the deployment of the major forces of the Royal Navy in British home waters in 1912 to counter the growing threat of the German navy. With these forces gone, the American navy would have been easily superior.As the story unfolds, Wilson's tale is not one of a peculiar 20th century Earth history. Darwinia is a story of the history of the universe. Wilson uses some very imaginative speculation in creating an original and daring story. Darwinia is far from the usual alternate history tales common to SF. [reader's reference- my personal five star novels: Dune, Hyperion, Ender's Game]

Suddenly in 1912 all of Europe changes: it is replaced by something quite different: a new ecosystem, lush but inhospitable to men. In the 1920s Guilford Law, a photographer, heads to the new Europe, now called Darwinia, to be part of one of the first teams to explore the interior of the continent.All this is thoroughly intriguing and involving: then Wilson takes a hugely different tack. He reveals the nature of the changed Earth. Many readers have been disappointed by his revelation, but, though I admit the book we end up with is not the book we began with, it's still a wonderful book.Guilford's life is forever changed by his trip to the interior of Darwinia, and we follow him as he dreams of another Guilford who lived in a very different Earth (apparently our own), and as he is drawn into a battle with evil forces who wish to destroy the world. Such a description sounds silly, but in context it's effective, and the story is beautifully written, and very odd. Guilford is a compelling character, and his life takes on great meaning: which is all the more important given the nature of his world.A lovely book.

This novel was slow to start. It was a classic search the unknown with interesting biological theories. Then the main plot kicked in and i was spellbound. The philosophy of this book is what makes it so spectacular. It shows a deterministic view that borders on predestination, but with an interesting twist of free will. I loved it.

This book was truly unique; an excellent read. If you're a thinking reader, you will not be disappointed. It begins as your average tale of exploring-the-unkown-savage-wilderness. It quickly becomes a superior alternate history (in the truest sense of the term.) I won't give away key plot points. Suffice to say, those who started this book expecting "Jurassic Park" were disappointed. This book is far deeper than that. The goal is to solve the mystery of Darwinia. Obviously, some reviewers were unhappy that the solution was not simple or tame. Character development was good. There are no cardboard noble good guys in white hats battling banal bad guys with no real motives. Everyone has motivations. Some are better than others. Just like life. Highly recommended.